Retro Camper

I was this close to buying my dream 1967 Shasta Camper this week-end. I shoulda hit the road the minute I saw "Vintage Shasta Starflyte" on Craigslist just up the spell a bit from my empty detached garage. Well, almost empty. I'm sure "Aunt Velm," my '94 mini van, would have welcomed a friendly cohabitant. I've probably watched Toy Story one too many times. 

So as I attempted to fire up CL again and resume my search, my body language  must have screamed "end of a dream" as Mark offered,  "I'm sorry about your camper, but there'll be another one." But this one, with it's avocado stove and oven,  upper bunk for grandkids, and original shasta wings WAS my camper. 

That is, it was mine, until they sold it this morning, AND  I found MY camper five minutes later on SW MI CL.
It's not a shasta, and it's not pre 70's, but $750 and a road trip to the middle of the mitten, preferably in a vehicle with a hitch, and this puppy's mine.

"Make your Vintage Camping dreams come true, or realize your worst nightmares, with this classic 1975 "Majestic Yellowstone" Camino! Join the "Smart People", who are relaxing every weekend in their own vintage camper! This thing has "Divorce" written all over it! You'll love it (you'd better, because your spouse will make you sleep in it in the driveway, if your neighbors don't make you move it)! Don't plan on cooking anything inside, because the previous owners removed the kitchen, and plumbing to the bathroom. Otherwise, intact inside and doesn't stink. Miraculously, the roof doesn't leak, probably because there must be 5 gallons of tar on it. Body is solid, dent free, although the plastic fenders are history, and there is some water damage at the left lower corner of the front window. Tows good, good tires (well, OK tires), brakes on both axles, come get it and go "Glamping". Or drag it out into the woods for deer camp. Just get it out of my yard."

Duece

Linking today with 5-minute Friday, where you receive a prompt (today's word; together) and practice the art of writing for 5 minutes.  No editing. No research or rethinking.


Recently my husband and I took a train trip from the Midwest to Washington DC and then on to New York.

Together.

Just the two of us.

On the unintended retro Amtrak line called the Cardinal.

As I starred out of the window and soaked in a dozen or so united states, I thought about the rails. Silent and steady, snaking their way across the land. Sometimes crisscrossing and intersecting with other tracks, but always strong and independent. Always together.

Tracks do not ever waiver or run off. They stick together. There is no discussion about how far apart they can be. There is no meandering.

There is no abruptness in train travel. Tracks don't make right or left turns. Slowly but surely another set of rails comes alongside until the switch is thrown and the next train takes it's own set of tracks.

We're kinda like that, him and I.  Team Mark and Julee, moving down life's journey alongside each other.  Blessed with three children, we've sent off on their own tandem paths, as it should be.

Together.

Connected for life. Built with our own dreams and passions, yet aligned with the same goal.

Which, by the way, is not the destination.

Enjoying the journey.

Together.

Please pardon my Instagram photos by Julee @ STORIES Photography

Star This

Joy To The World

WDIMWIS, What Does It Mean When It Says?

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances.

The bible gateway topical index concludes:

Gladness: see Joy
Spiritual Peace: see Joy
Thankfulness: see Joy
Heart Renewed: see Joy
Happiness: see Joy
Laughter: see Joy

Joyful

Joyful noise

Joy comes in the morning.

About this statement, "The Joy of the Lord is my Strength",  Ann Voscamp concludes: "Let something steal your joy - and you let something steal your strength.  Her whole post is worth the read, but here are her highlights:

Really — if nothing can separate me from the Love of the Lord — can anything separate me from the Joy of the Lord? 
The Joy of the Lord is our strength — and anger leaves everyone weak.
Let something steal your joy — and you let something steal your strength.
Cynicism isn’t strength and ranting doesn’t rejuvenate and frustration can never accomplish what Faith can. 

Be Happy 

Silent Saturday

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

    The skies display his craftsmanship.

 Day after day they continue to speak;

    night after night they make him known.

 They speak without a sound or word;

    their voice is never heard.

 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,

    and their words to all the world.

Psalm 19:1-4

Shout It Out

Sin, if only it were as easy to get rid of as tossing in a load of laundry.

Dirty laundry sorted, washed, bounced, folded, and put away.

Oooops, I did it again.  Start the machine, spray a little shout on the stain, and voilà ... good as new.

White as snow.

Stain gone. As far as the east is from the west.

What if you need to do laundry and you really don't have the time.  You let the basket of dirty clothes sit for a day or two, maybe longer.  What happens to the pile?

What if every time there was laundry to do, we rationalized, "Oh, it's not really that dirty or stinky? What if we tried different ways to hide the stain.  We sprayed some fabreeze on it or we sewed a patch over it?  Maybe you have a better idea than the washing machine.  Instead of letting the washer and dryer do their work, you apologize to everyone who comes close enough to you to get a whiff.

Or, for heaven's sake, why do we wanna "do" other people's laundry, or air it?

There is no substitute for the real deal.

Are we so arrogant and misled that we think our sin was not covered by Jesus on the cross? Why do we try to dance around it, figure it will go away, or mainly let it sit and fester?

Have you ever tried to find a lost sock at the bottom of a dark ocean?

As an empty nester, there isn't much laundry to do at my house, but the basket fills up every day, every hour.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive. Every time.

Linking today with:

John 10:10

This scripture verse haunts me. Every day.

I found Linsey's blog this am. Her family named their farm Ten 10 because of this verse.


Linsey's post sent me scouring the internet to find this video, courtesy of Springhill Camps and our daughter, Melissa.

And I could use the reminder.

Gives whole new meaning to the phrase, "Have a nice day" yes?

How will I live life to the full today?

How will you?

Avenue Q

...if you've got a little time to spare
I want to take you there.
Come and meet those dancing feet,
On the avenue I'm taking you to...

Dear Max & Lilly,
Grandma is making a picture book about our vacation, because I'm pretty sure you don't read here!
Here's a little prequel ...

A is for Amtrak

B is for Broadway, Bountiful, and Bucket List

C is for the US Capitol, Christ Tabernacle and Central Park

D is for DC, Durso’s, and David the Producer